Why The Police Are Advising People To Put Their Car Keys Beside Their Bed At Nights

When it comes to safety, there is a lot of advice out there. Some recommendations com from professionals and experts, while others are from people who have experienced, and perhaps even escaped, a particular type of danger. One piece of advice warns car owners to keep their keys close to them at night because it may help deter burglars.

A social media post believed to have been originally shared by the police has urged people to place their car keys next to their beds before going to sleep. According to the post, if you hear someone trying to break into your home, you can simply press the panic button on the keys.

This is supposed to set off an alarm and the horn start blaring until you either turn the alarm off or the car battery dies. The advice is based on the fact that if the burglar is in your house, once you set off the alarm, they will immediately run off. Also, the sounds will draw the attention of neighbors, who would look out their windows to see if there's trouble and no criminal would want that.

Does it work?

While this does sound like a simple trick to get criminals out of your home, it may be easier said than done. According to Snopes, this practice may not work for a couple of reasons. For one thing, not everyone will immediately assume a car alarm going off is a sign of danger. They can sometimes be set off by the tiniest things, such as brushing a purse against the vehicle or even a cat passing by.

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So while your car alarm will get some attention, neighbors are more likely to close the windows to keep the sound from bothering them than actually coming to your rescue.

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Sure, setting off the alarm can discourage burglars from going on with their plans, but so will switching a light on because these criminals usually prefer to rob empty homes. When you turn on the lights, they may flee. Also, the safest thing to do when you hear someone breaking into your home is to call 911.